Convenient Store
by Thouwhohasloved
Summary: After moving into a new town in Arizona, Arden isn't looking forward to it. It's rich, bland and hot. Not the mention her new school is filled with rich kids. It's your stereotypical high school with the jocks and geeks just richer. And after realizing that she'll only get one person to be her friend after spraying cranberry juice on the school's golden boy's face, Dylan O'Brien,


New Objective

I had a massive headache the day we arrived at the house. For one reason is that the noise in the car was too loud.

My brother Jacob was blasting his favorite song and my mother was talking to someone very loudly. I sat in the back with my headphones on that didn't really help the sound. I forced myself to watch the plain houses pass to ease the pain. Sadly, this didn't work. After another five minutes for noise I decided to take a nap, but then the car jerked to a hard stop.

"We're here!" Jacob announced.

I slowly opened my eyes and look at our new house. We were parked in the driveway of the white brick house. It had a casual brown roof that looked sort of old and was two stories with a large windows on both levels. Two giant trees stood on both sides of he house just like the rest of the houses. The front door was red with a golden door knock. Leading up to the front door was a path that was made of gray pebbles frozen in cement. The front yard was mostly rocks and had a few weeds growing here and there.

I sighed and took off my headphones. It wouldn't be long before my mom would force us out of this boring place though. But I could tell that this was going to be an experience I was bound to forget.

I climbed out of the mini van with my bag on. After riding in that cramped space for five hours and I had to stretch out on the side walk. No one was out weirdly enough and there were no cars coming down the street. It all seemed so fake and boring that it made my headache worse. I looked around for little bit more blocking the bright sun from my eyes. I still wasn't use to the sun after living in Seattle for a year. It can really shocks you how adaptable you can be. Only a year and I'm a vampire.

I heard footsteps come up behind me and a giant hand land on my head. I looked up and saw Jacob smiling his face off at the new house.

Jacob was twenty four and still in college and a complete heartthrob to other girls. He had chocolate soft curls and new shaped lips. His jaw line was sharp and his voice was actually sort of deep compared to most people in their twenties. It was like God had made him the best he could. Not only that but Jacob was top ten in his class. Smarts and looks. Life just isn't fair sometimes.

"What are you smiling for?" I asked coldly. I took his hand off my head and began to walk inside the house with him.

"Because I think this will be good for you." He says happily.

"Right,while you're in a whole other state and mom is engulfed in work." I said

sarcastically. "Being alone again and then moving is totally good for me. No friends,non pain."

We got to the door and Jacob brought out the keys. He put them in and unlocked the door. He pushed forward once and when the door didn't open, he pushed against again.

"Come on," he said grunting. "Don't think like that."

He bumped his body against the door couple times until he finally slammed his whole entire body against it, finally opening it.

"This could be where you stay," he suggests. "Where you find a home!"

I rolled my eyes, "You said that for Chicago, Houston, Kanas City, San Andreas, Seattle, Sugar Land, and that Townsville place."

Jacob shrugged. We walked into the house and placed our stuff down. Looking into the house set a weird feeling in my stomach. It was an almost cozy feeling along with a alien feeling. When you first look into the room you see the "living room" with three windows lining the wall. Next to it was a kitchen. The kitchen had an island table and a space for a dining table. The empty space for the refrigerator and microwave looked used but very old. On the other side was a sliding door window that lead out onto the terrace.

"Don't be afraid," Jacob says. "Go on check it out."

I sighed and rolled my eyes again. I moved deeper into the house more towards the kitchen. At the other end of the kitchen was a door entrance into a different room. I moved into the room and saw that it was actually an office with a large window. Light flooded the room allowing me to see all the dust in the air.

Oh shit.

I instantly broke out into a sneezing fit. I ran out the room looking for relief. Jacob was in the kitchen wiping of the dust on the island counter top. I instantly started sneezing again.

"Crap," Jacob exclaimed and ran over to me. He took out a handkerchief and held it over my nose.

"Yep. This is totally the right place." I said with fake enthusiasm in my voice. Jacob chuckled and let me hold the handkerchief to my nose.

"Why the hell is this place so dust anyway?"

"First language." Jacob says. "Second, it's been a couple years since someone's inhibited it."

"Why?" I asked wiping my nose with the clean folded side of the fabric.

"Well..."

"Because they say it's haunted." A voice sing behind me spookily. I looked behind me and saw mom walking in from the front door.

"Years ago they said a woman murder her husband in this house." She continued. "They never found the body. Story also says that you can hear heavy footsteps at night if you listen had enough. People say they belong to the man."

I blinked, " I don't know which one's scary." I said. "The fact that a man was murder in this house years ago or that this house and every other house has the same style for years ago. And you bought it."

Mom shrugs as she strolls into the kitchen and places her phone down of the table. She ran her finger through her hair and groaned.

"Bad client?" I asked casually. She nodded and took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

"I just don't know what she wants!" Mom cries. "I keep supplying her but she just keeps complaining. Just tell me!"

I snickered. "It's not that simple."

Mom glared at me. She stands up straight and rubs her temples. She made it clear that she doesn't need references from the notebook at the moment. What she needs were answer.

"Well, whatever," my mom said. "I'll order the Chinese food and you guys bring in the boss's like usual."

"Remember the three S's!" Jacob said as he walks back to the front door to bring in stuff.

"Yeah, yeah, spending, span, and standards." Mom confirms. Jacob and I walk out to get the boxes.

We stood around the island eating Chinese because we didn't have our chairs and tables yet. During the meal we would grade the food by the three S's. Spending, Span, and Standards. Span being how long did it take to get here, Standards being taste, and Spending being price. Because money don't grow on trees. We decided to give it a a six in standard, Span was four, and Spending was five. Ten being best or worth it and one being horrible or not worth it.

"Anyway, Arden," Jacob says. "Have you seen your now school?"

I shook my head. I honestly didn't care. I'd be leaving the school soon so why did I care? I'd move around the school unnoticed and then disappear unnoticed.

"Well, tomorrow you go straight back to school." Jacob said. "I've already seen the school so I'll go with you."

"No, no, no!" I argued. "If you come then girls will fall all over you and you being you would scream to the world that I'm your sister."

"Are you not my sister?" Jacob questions.

"And that's the problem!" I said. "If you come then they find out I'm your sister and never living me alone. No friends, no pain."

"Come on," complained mom. "You can't honestly think that you can make through high school with no friends."

I nodded quickly. "Did it freshmen year, sophomore year, and Junior year. I'll do it again this year."

I took my takeout box that was now empty and threw it away. I was about to wall over to the staircase when Jacob grabbed my wrist. I looked him in the eye seeing hope.

"This could really be a new chance for you, Ardie," he says sweetly. "Believe with me. With mom."

I give him a confused face. "Why do you care so much? Why here?"

Jacob's hopefully face fell. I looked at him then mom but she wouldn't meet my eyes. She never could in these moment after dad "passed". He went missing years ago when I was three and we never saw him again. Since then we've been on the move. Mom taking up a catering business and Jacob trying to finish school as fast he could so he could help. But now that were "stable" he's in college and mom is getting better jobs. But ever since dad left mom could never look me in the eyes on serious topics like this. Like it was her fault we were here.

Jacob looked away from me for a bit as if to think. After he let go I walked over to the staircase and head to my new room.

"Just don't worry about me guys." I said. "I'll be fine. I swear."

And with that I walked up to my new room. I opened the door and saw a wooden floored room with white walls. A bed stay in the far corner with boxes laid everywhere. A bay window was on my left of room waiting to be decorated. I walked over to the window and sat down. I stared out into the night sky feeling pretty empty. I don't remember how I became like this. I swear I use to be a pretty joy and content girl even after dad left, but now I just feel like I lost it all. It hurt a lot more than you could imagine. It sucked being alone there was no need to lie about it. But it was easier. A lot easier when you know you won't stay.

"God, this sucks." I whispered to myself. I rubbed the back of my neck trying to get a knot out.

"Arden! The bathroom is ready." My mom yelled from down the hall.

"Coming!" I yelled back and left the room.

Maybe I will find something. I mind how hard could it be to make a friend.

I smiled to myself. "Alright, new objective: make a friend."

Song: Suitcase by Vic Mensa ft Chance the Rapper


End file.
